Collapsible tube with plastic outsert



Aug. 20, 1968 R. D. TIBERHS COLLAPSIBLE TUBE WITH PLASTIC OUTSERT Filed July 7, 1966 FIG. 2

a m 5 ma M M m mfi w U 6 w A V B United States Patent 3,397,821 COLLAPSIBLE TUBE WITH PLASTIC OUTSERT Robert D. Tiberiis, Newport, Ark., assignor to Victor Metal Products Corp., Newport, Arlr., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 7, 1966, Ser. No. 563,602 1 Claim. (Cl. 222-92) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A metal collapsible tube is provided with a plastic outsert at the dispensing end thereof. The outsert is externally threaded to receive a closure cap and internally formed with a frusto-conical bore, which is received upon a frusto-conical neck portion on the metal tube. The neck portion is undercut at the base thereof, and the outsert provided #with an annular bead which snaps into the undercut as the outsert is forced onto the metal neck. A plurality of teeth formed in the metal neck invade the soft material of the outsert as it is forced upon the tube end thereby providing a fluid tight seal and preventing the two members from rotating with respect to each other. The outsert is stretched as it is forced onto the neck portion of the tube.

This invention relates to metal collapsible tubes and more particularly to metal tubes in which a plastic outsert is employed at the dispensing end.

It has been known to provide collapsible tubes made of metal with plastic outserts at the dispensing end thereof. These outserts are generally threaded to receive a cap or closure thereon. The plastic outsert insures smooth functioning of the threaded engagement of the cap and adds decorative interest to the tube. However, previously known devices employed complicated interlocking arrangements between the outsert and the neck of the tube. These structures required carefully assembly, expensive and time consuming moulding operations for the outsert and often leaked when pressure was applied to the tube.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a highly simplified outsert-tube construction which overcomes one or more shortcomings of the prior art. Another object of the present invention is to provide an outsert-tube assembly which will not leak during use.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an outsert-tube construction which is easy to assemble and which takes advantage of the materials involved to effect a fluid-tight sea-l between the elements.

A feature of the present invention is its use of a collapsible tube neck provided with sharp serrations or teeth upon which the outsert is received.

Still another feature of the present invention is the use of an outsert having internal dimensions which will cause the teeth of the tube neck to bite into the wall of the outsert.

A further feature of the present invention is the use of a stepped flange construction, together with an outsert locking arrangement whereby the tube neck is held in fluid-tight contact with the outsert.

The invention consists of the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as herein illustrated, described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof is illustrated one form of embodiment of the invention, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a somewhat exploded view partly broken away of a complete embodiment of the present invention.

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FIGURE 2 is a sectional view somewhat enlarged taken on line 22 in FIGURE 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIGURE 3 is a view partly in vertical section and somewhat enlarged of the assembled outsert and tube structure;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 in FIGURE 3 looking in the direction of the arrows on an enlarged scale; 7

FIGURE 5 is a view partly in section of the assembled cap, outsert, and neck structure shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale in vertical section of a portion of the neck and outsert showing the seal at the dispensing end of the tube.

The invention contemplates the use of a collapsible tube having a serrated or toothed neck portion and an outsert with an inside diameter smaller than the outside diameter of the neck member whereby when the outsert is forced upon the neck the teeth or serrations bite into the wall of the outsert to provide a positive fluidtight interlock between the members. The invention further contemplates a locking member and an undercut portion on the neck which holds the outsert in place upon the collapsible tube.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIG- URES 1 through 4, 10 indicates a collapsible tube made of metal having a tubular body portion 11, a sloping shoulder member 12, and a neck 13 integral with the shoulder portion and extending outwardly thereof. The collapsible tube 10 may be made by the method of impact extrusion, well known in the art, to form a thin unitary metallic structure. The tube body 11 is adapted to receive and retain a quantity of material such as toothpaste, shaving cream and the like and the neck 13, which has a central bore in communication with the interior of the tube body adapted to dispense the contents of the tube.

The neck member 13 in the present invention is somewhat frusto conical in shape and undercut at its base as indicated at 14. A plurality of serrations or teeth 15 are formed in the neck 13 as by knurling, rolling or the like. The points of the teeth 15 are preferably terminated at the end of the neck 13.

The outsert 16 is preferably made of plastic such as polyethylene, nylon, or the like. The outsert 16 has a smooth, tapered, internal bore 17 the taper of which generally conforms to that of the neck 13. However, the outsert bore 17 is smaller in diameter than the neck 13 upon which it is received.

An annular head 18 extends into the bore 17 of the outsert 16 and is received within the undercut 14 of the neck 13 when the outsert is forced onto the neck in the manner shown in FIGURE 3. The annular bead 18 thus serves to lock the outsert firmly upon the neck 13 after the assembly.

A stepped shoulder 19 is formed on the dispensing end of the outsert 16 as shown in FIGURES l and 6. The stepped shoulder overlies the neck 13 when the outsert is assembled upon the neck and the end of the neck 13 is forced into contact with the stepped shoulder 19. The distance between the annular head 18 and the stepped shoulder 19 is slightly less than the distance between the undercut 1-4 and the end of the neck 13. As a result, and when the outsert is forced into place upon the neck -13, the stepped shoulder portion 19 is deformed in the manner shown in FIGURE 6 at 21, thereby providing a fluidtight seal between the neck 13 and the outsert 16.

Since the neck 13 is larger in outside diameter than the inside diameter of the outsert bore 17, the teeth 15 of the metal neck 13 are forced into the soft material of the outsert 16 and form a fluid-tight seal between the two elements. In addition, the teeth 15 prevent the out- 3 sert from turning upon the neck 13 as the cap member 22 is threaded or unthreaded upon the external threads 23 formed on the outsert 16. Inasmuch as the teeth 15 cut their own way into the outsert 16, there is no need for any specific orientation of the outsert upon the neck when the assembly is effected.

From the foregoing it will be seen that there has been provided an extremely simple collapsible tube and plastic outsert assembly, which provides a fluid-tight seal between the assembled members, and in which the outsert can be engaged upon the neck by a single pressure operation.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A collapsible tube comprising in combination a cylindrical hollow metal body, a metal shoulder on one end of the body, a frusto conical metal neck integral with the shoulder and extending outwardly thereof, a plurality of tooth members on the outer surface of the neck, an undercut portion at the base of the neck adjacent the shoulder, a centrally bored plastic outsert around the metal neck, said outsert lbore being of a size less than the outside diameter of the neck but substantially conforming thereto in shape, a stepped shoulder on said outsert overlying the end of the neck at the dispensing end thereof and an annular bead within the outsert bore and received within the undercut to lock the outsert upon the metal neck, wherein the distance between the undercut in the neck and the end of the neck is greater than the distance between the annular bead and the inner surface of the stepped shoulder, whereby the outsert stepped shoulder is compressed by the neck, the entire outsert stretched as it is forced on the neck, and the tooth members are caused to invade the wall of the outsert bore.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,073,485 1/1963 Schultz 222-92 3,124,273 3/1964 Remington et a1 222-92 3,144,964 8/1964 Gofi et al 222-107 X 3,186,601 6/ 1965 Marchak 222-107 3,227,318 1/ 1966 Rieder 222-92 3,231,156 1/1966 Schultz 222-107 X ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner. 

